On December 14, the draft Information Code, developed by the Agency for Information and Mass Communications, was submitted for public discussion.

The Information Code, which consists of 131 articles, unifies 8 laws in the field. According to AIMC, the project has been agreed with 50 interested ministries and agencies.

The Information Code aims to regulate the processes of information use, free and unimpeded search, receipt and distribution of information in Uzbekistan. The draft code provides a legal definition of dozens of concepts related to the field.

Kun.uz paid attention to the most important points of the draft document and put forward its proposal.

• “Loophole” for censorship;
• “Loophole” to hide information;
• “Loophole” for punishment;
• Procedures for providing and receiving information;
• Supervisors have increased;
• Information security and personal data;
• Age classification for information;
• Media activity and freedom;
• Drone is allowed;
• Founders, monopoly and certificate;
• Procedure for working with editors and state organizations;
• Journalistic activity and its inviolability;
• Openness of state organizations and legal information.

It should be noted that many rights and freedoms listed in the draft Information Code are also included in the current (unification) laws. The issue is their implementation, the guarantee of freedom of speech and political rights by the state.

Public consultation on the draft code will end on December 29. The document enters into force 6 months after it is introduced into the parliament, after which the president signs and promulgates it.